“We found out about the counterfeit 50 sen coins after traders came to our office and enquired why their coins had been rejected by parking meter machines in the Kuala Lumpur, Jinjang, Selayang and Petaling Jaya council areas.

“When we checked the coins, we found some differences between the original and the fake ones, such as the wau logo at the back is not as detailed.

PHONY ATTRACTION: A magnet test can determine whether a 50 sen coin is genuine because the magnet will attract the fake coin.“When you drop the coins on the floor, there is a difference in the sound produced between the two,” said Kuala Lumpur Gerakan Youth chief Ma Woei Chyi yesterday.

He added that the best way to determine the authenticity of a coin was through a simple magnet test.

“The genuine coin will not react to the magnet, while the fake one will as we believe that the fake coin is made from cheaper raw materials, like iron.

“We suspect that these coins are forged and we want the public to be aware that such coins are in circulation,” he said.

Ma told the press yesterday that since last month, there had been five cases of traders enquiring about the authenticity of their 50 sen coins.

He urged Bank Negara to look into the matter and take action fast.

“Previously we saw fake RM1 coins. I hope the situation will be rectified before the public loses confidence in the 50 sen coin,” he said.

When contacted, a Bank Negara official said: “At this point, we cannot comment yet. But I would advise the public to lodge a police report if they believe that the 50 sen coins they have are not genuine.

“We work very closely with the police, and they have the authority to investigate the matter. The public can also help by saying where they got the coins from.”

She added that the incidences of fake 50 sen coins were isolated and the number of occurrences were very low.

“The magnet and sound test can be used to determine if the coin is genuine, but I urge the public to use the coins with confidence,” she said.